


May It Be Happiness You Find.

by dorkpatroller



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Modern Royalty, Not-so-slow burn, Soulmates, a rapid burn if u will, but like in a good way, dancer inigo, exalt owain, i love tagging fics like that, i'm gonna tag it because it may as well be, like a ps i love you way, like an icyhot burn, lissa isn't in this guys, mmm exalt owain, prince owain, she's dead i'm sorry, she's watchin over her babs, sort of i mean
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-14
Updated: 2018-07-15
Packaged: 2019-06-10 10:19:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 19,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15289389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dorkpatroller/pseuds/dorkpatroller
Summary: Inigo's mother is incredible at what she does. Teaching dance is hard work! But when she's too sick to tutor the young princess in ballet, she sends Inigo in her place. He doesn't expect to fall into a family drama as it unfolds. He certainly doesn't expect to become a part of it. (Spoilers: he does.)For Owainigo Weekend 2018!





	1. Touch

Inigo sighs while he draws a few lines in the corner of a day planner. One, two, three… and then some squiggly lines between them to make a spider web. He sets his face in his hand and sighs. He's just a  _ little _ bored. 

 

He’s been working for his mother’s dance studio as the receptionist for a little over two years now. She teaches girls and boys from the time they’re just barely old enough to twirl all the way through high school age here. She takes them to competitions sometimes, and on tours, and it’s really exciting! Inigo loves going on road trips with the girls to perform. He doesn't even mind their moms; they're not nearly as ridiculous as reality shows make them out to be. At least not  _ all _ the time. 

 

They haven't been on a trip in a while, though. Olivia, of course, helps arrange the competitions for the girls who want to compete, but since she got sick she hasn't had the energy to go herself. It's a shame. She was diagnosed with cancer a few years ago. When it happened Inigo dropped everything to move back home with her. He helped her through appointments and radiation and now she's got a clean bill of health! She's just still… a little tired. He's sure she'll be just fine with time.

 

The last girl left from class runs out the door. She whizzes past the desk with a quick “See ya, Inigo!” and disappears into her mother’s car. As she does Olivia wanders closer. She pulls on a thin robe and she folds her arms on the desk Inigo is sitting at. 

 

“Are you ever going to get out there and do something with your life?” She asks gently. Not aggressively, never aggressively. Inigo knows that Olivia just wants what’s best for him. It’s just that he can’t go yet. He’s not ready to leave his mom alone. What if something happens to her? He wants to stay close. 

 

"Mom! Don't you want me around?" He asks. Playful as ever, he looks at her innocently through his lashes. His mother is an angel on earth. Even with age catching up to her she's beautiful, and he'll be lucky if he ages half as gracefully as she does. She's nearly fifty now and honestly, she's perfect. 

 

"Whaa! Of course, I want you around, Inigo! I'm so happy you're here to take care of me, but you're so young. You're the perfect age to travel and fall in love and do something crazy. Make a decision on a whim for once! You deserve it." 

 

“Well falling in love just isn’t on my radar right now,” Inigo says. He wants to, don’t get him wrong, but it’s just unrealistic. He’s got to stay here and make sure his mother doesn’t have to lift any unnecessary fingers. “Besides… who would answer the phones?” 

 

Olivia starts to say something. Undoubtedly an argument. She doesn’t get to. They both hear a noise--a  _ horse whinny-- _ and they both simultaneously snap their heads in the direction of the door. The front of the studio is floor to ceiling windows. The door is glass too. Through those windows, they can see a man dismounting from atop a horse. And  _ woah _ . Are horses always that tall? He’s only really seen them in movies, so this is a surprise. 

 

“Mom, there’s a horse parked in our driveway,” Inigo mumbles. In disbelief, really, because who just rides up to a dance studio on a  _ horse _ ? Not to even mention a highly  _ decorated _ horse. It has fancy clothes! Medals even! Inigo doesn’t own anything quite as fancy as this horse is wearing.

 

“I… I see that, dear,” Olivia says. Together they watch that man walk closer and closer until the little bell above the door jingles and he’s standing inside the studio’s lobby. He takes a short bow. A bow! Inigo can’t help staring at him. He’s just… insane. This is insane.

 

“Are you Miss Olivia Evans?” He asks. “I’m here with a summons from her majesty, the dowager queen of Ylisse.” 

 

“What?” Olivia gasps. “The queen? Oh my goodness, what for?” 

 

But really, Inigo wonders, what for? They don’t live in Ylisse. Inigo and his mother live in a happy little apartment on top of their dance studio in Regna Ferox. There aren’t kings or queens there, but there’s a monarchy in the country just south of them, Ylisse. 

 

The royal family there is wild. Of course, Inigo knows all about them from tabloids. Last year the Exalt Queen died--she's the one who could actually make laws and decisions. She left behind a wife and two sons. But it came out last year that only one of those sons shares a bloodline with the queen. The other was adopted. 

 

Of the two, one would easily hope that the more responsible and upstanding of the two sons were the heir, but it’s not. The heir is a sort of throwaway prince. He doesn’t want responsibility and he doesn’t care about how much damage he does to the royal family’s name… He’s really quite awful. 

 

Or maybe he’s not so bad and the tabloids are being dramatic, but Inigo has no reason to believe otherwise. All he knows is that prince has his coronation coming up and he needs to get his act together before then or leave them be. It would be…  _ better  _ for the country if he abdicated his throne. Inigo thinks so anyway. Then they can just start working on moving forward to someone who won’t ruin the country with gossip.

 

"The young Princess Ophelia has requested to learn Feroxi Ballet. Her Majesty is seeking a tutor for her granddaughter, and she expects no less than the best." He passes a piece of paper to Olivia and Inigo slides out of his seat to read it over her shoulder. 

 

It's a very fancy written request for Olivia to come to tutor a princess in ballet. It's not an order or anything, of course. She can't boss around someone who doesn't live in her country. An invitation to go live in Castle Ylisse for a few months… it would be incredible. There's just one problem that has Inigo squeezing his mother's shoulders, gently. "Mom, you can't go. You're still recovering." 

 

Olivia lowers the paper and smiles. She pats Inigo’s hand. “I know, darling. I won’t go.”

 

It’s a shame! This is the sort of opportunity his mother would likely love. When she was young she was such a famous dancer, she used to travel with a troupe and she was invited to attend fancy events all the time. Inigo is about to step away when his mother grips his hand. “You need to go, Inigo.” 

 

"Wh--Excuse me?" Inigo chokes. Actually chokes! He thinks he's going to hack up a lung at that moment. But his mother is lecturing him the whole time, not even worried about his present safety. "M-Mom!" 

 

“You’ve got to! I’ve taught you everything I know about ballet. You’re inspiring to watch! And you know how to teach, you’ve led the classes before. We can’t let a little girl down, especially not a princess!” Olivia claps her hands together and Inigo honestly just gawks at her.

 

“Mom! I’ve got to stay here to take care of  _ you _ !" Inigo nearly shouts. He flinches when he realizes that man is just standing there watching them bicker… and so pulls his mother aside so they can at least whisper their disagreement. " _ Mother, _ ” he hisses, “You’re still recovering from radiation. I need to be here in case anything happens. A-And to answer phones.” 

 

“Are you kidding right now? Inigo go! That’s simply not true. I’m fine, fit as a fiddle! The doctor said so himself.” She reaches up and puts her hands on Inigo’s cheeks. Her hands are always cold. So are his. Cold and sometimes clammy, but he doesn’t mind his mother’s reassuring touch. “This could be your chance at an adventure. We’ll talk on the phone every night and if anything happens to me--anything at all--I’ll call you right away.”

 

“But mom,” Inigo says. Olivia interrupts him before he can finish.

 

“How many chances will you get to live in a castle or meet a princess, Inigo?”

 

Inigo steps out of her embrace and paces. He chews on the tip of his thumb while he walks. Olivia is staring at him, waiting for a decision. So is that horse-guy. How can he do this? It seems like a dream, but if it was a dream the decision would be much easier. “I can’t believe I’m doing this,” He mumbles to himself.

 

…

 

“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” Inigo says while he walks. He’s inside the  _ castle _ . When he arrived some butler took his bags to his room but they never really told  _ him _ what to do… so he’s kind of just been wandering around the entry hall. It goes on for miles, it feels like, anyway.

 

Ylisse is far from home. They speak the same language and everything, but it’s a whole plane ride away from the studio. Olivia was so excited to send him off on his way. Maybe she just wanted to get him out of the house. Inigo is still kind of nervous to be here. He’s not sure if he  _ wants _ to be here. This isn’t his comfort zone, and he’s not exactly the famous dancer they expected.

 

There’s a tall man standing off to one side. He nods at Inigo when their eyes meet and so Inigo steps closer. Based on the way he’s dressed he could work here. He’s probably an employee, actually, if he was looking for Inigo. “Hi, I’m Inigo Evans,” Inigo says. “I’m sort of lost. I don’t know… where I’m supposed to go.” 

 

“Name’s Brady. I’m pretty sure I can help you find what you’re looking for. I do live here, after all.” He’s kind of got a gruff voice, but not like he’s trying to be abrasive. He’s got an odd scar across his eye and a tough-guy look and… Oh, no, Inigo has seen his face before.

 

Not to mention heard his name. “B-Brady? As in the  _ prince _ , Brady?” 

 

Brady’s lips curl up into a smirk. “That would be the one.” 

 

Oh no. How could he talk so casually to the prince? And the responsible one at that? He gasps and tries to figure out how to save this. What do you do for princes? You bow, right? Inigo takes a quick bow and he says "I'm so sorry. I didn't recognize you--in photos, you're always in such fancy clothes, I didn't think…" 

 

“You don’t have to bow, it’s okay. Inigo, right? Formalities aren’t that important here. I’m not the important prince anyway.” 

 

Well, that almost sounds sad when he words it like that. But he doesn't look sad. Inigo folds his arms around himself, just a touch nervously. "I think I'm supposed to be introducing myself to the queen, but I don't know how to even begin to find her. And she wasn't expecting me, she's expecting my mother…" 

 

"Ma is probably over this way. She's usually in her lounge for tea this time of day. Follow me," Brady says. Honestly, thank god. He's a hero and Inigo is sure of it. He leads Inigo down a hall, a turn, and then another hall.

 

The castle kind of goes on forever but Inigo isn’t taking in any of it. He’s nervous! He’s about to meet the queen. Granted, she’s the dowager queen, but… she’s still the most important woman in Ylisse. It’s an honor! An honor he doesn’t actually deserve. Didn’t earn this, his mother did.

 

Brady pulls open a door and the two of them enter a lounge. There are a sofa and chairs and fireplace, books and a table with a tea set, and there's even a small bar to one side. It's kind of like it was plucked out of a storybook or something. 

 

Maribelle is in the lounge. She’s gorgeous! She’s got golden curls and a dress that doesn’t look like she’s attending a ball or anything, but it looks fancy enough that it’s clear she’s a queen. (Unlike Brady, who dressed casually enough that Inigo mistook him for staff. He’s never going to stop blushing about that!) 

 

She’s on her feet standing in front of the other prince.  _ This  _ prince Inigo easily recognizes. Prince Owain of Ylisse, he’s the one who always seems to be causing problems. He’s the heir. Right now he’s arguing with his mother. 

 

“Owain,  _ please _ , I am begging you. Just drop this!” 

 

“Mother! How can you ask me to drop something  _ this  _ important? Don’t you see? I need to make my own path.” 

 

“You’ve had so much time to wander! I’ve had it up to here with you shirking your duties to roam and do… anything else! Now it’s time for you to settle down and stay here. Be a good father to Ophelia!” 

 

“What, and so I’m a bad father now?” 

 

“That’s not what I said!” 

 

Brady clears his throat. It startles the two of them out of their argument. It startles Inigo too. He was kind of excited to see this gossip first hand. But then, very suddenly, both of them are staring right at Inigo. Maribelle, the gorgeous queen… and Owain. He's dressed just fancy enough that Inigo thinks he looks like a crown prince should. Not in medals or ropes or anything but… well, he sort of just shines. 

 

He's a little more handsome in person than the tabloids make him out, too. And he's just staring at Inigo, and this is awkward, to say the least. Thankfully Brady speaks up. "This is Inigo. He's the tutor that came to teach Ophelia ballet." 

 

“What?” Maribelle asks. “I thought I asked for Olivia?” 

 

That’s exactly the reaction Inigo expected. What he doesn’t expect is Owain to elbow his own mother, the  _ queen _ , in her arm. “Mother,” He hisses with a little laugh, “You can’t just say that. Introduce yourself first, jeez.” 

 

Who elbows a queen? Is that legal? Can he be thrown in a dungeon for that? Well, he probably won’t be. He supposes that she  _ is _ Owain’s mom. She wouldn’t do that. Probably. Maybe? He’s only heard nice things about this family. The worst he’s heard is that Owain is a flake. How bad can they be?

 

Owain bows at the waist but only for a second. When he's down there he meets Inigo's eyes with his own and he flashes him a smile. Oh, wow, what a smile. It's like being run over by a car it's bright and powerful and sudden. 

 

_ Oh, no _ , Inigo realizes right away.  _ He’s cute--I can’t do this. I shouldn’t have come here, I’m going to embarrass myself. _

 

“My name is Owain, Crown Prince of Ylisse. And you’re Inigo!” It’s right about then that Owain stands back up out of his bow and instead positions his hands on his hips. “A hero-dancer traveling across the land to help bring the dreams of a young princess to life! It’s a pleasure to meet you, and to have you here in Ylisstol.” 

 

_ Wow, he's weird. I take back what I said about him being cute.  _

 

Inigo starts to open his mouth, but Owain continues. “And  _ this _ is our mother. Meet her Majesty, Queen Maribelle of Ylisstol.”

 

At least, Inigo thinks, he knows to bow for them. Maribelle doesn’t bow in return but that’s okay. Inigo doesn’t really think Owain needed to either. He’s not important or anything. Just a guy from another country. 

 

Seeing as how it’s the first thing Maribelle said when she met Inigo, he thinks maybe the first thing he should do is explain who he is. “Uh,” He begins, “It’s amazing to meet you. I’m Inigo, I’m here in my mother’s place. I know you asked for her to teach the princess ballet, but she’s been sick lately. She sent me instead, but she’s taught me everything she knows. I’ve been dancing with her since I was old enough to walk.” 

 

“Alright,” Maribelle says. “If you’ll teach her in your mother’s place I’ll accept that. Please make yourself at home here. Owain,” Owain’s attention turns to his mother. “Please go introduce Inigo to Ophelia. Brady, come with me. I want to hear you rehearse your latest sheet music.” 

 

Inigo barely has time to catch up. Everyone is acting so casual. Maybe they are. It’s just a family, after all… They probably don’t walk on eggshells around each other. But Inigo is. Inigo is walking on a million eggshells and the door has barely closed after Brady and Maribelle when Owain laughs nervously. “I’m sorry you had to hear that. Moms, you know?” 

 

Maybe it’s just that Inigo is so nervous, too. But he laughs and nods his head. “Yeah, moms can be a little crazy sometimes.” He folds his arms again. Owain is still standing there with his hands perched on his hips but he gestures gently towards the door. 

 

“Follow me! I’ll introduce you to Ophelia.” 

 

Wandering down the halls this time Inigo has a better chance to take them in. Most of the decor in this castle is white and gold. There are pedestals with busts and vases on them. Huge paintings take up giant chunks of the walls, and they're framed with gold moldings. He's so distracted he has to jog a few steps to get back to Owain's side.

 

“So am I supposed to address you as ‘your highness’ or..?” Inigo has to ask! He has exactly no tact whatsoever and he’s not sure what titles even are. Let alone which one goes to which person. 

 

But Owain just shakes his head and smiles. “You can just call me Owain. No one here is really serious about titles, they’re just stuffy and make it less personal. You know? How would you feel if everyone you knew--even your friends and family--called you ‘sir’ instead of your name?” 

 

Well, that does sound a little less personal. Inigo drops his hands behind his back and folds them there while they walk. “Alright. So Owain it is. Owain and Brady.” 

 

“Yeah, that’s us. Er--you might stick to calling mom ‘your majesty’ though. She’s a little more worried about being proper than we are. But in a good way. She’s really nice, just well refined.” 

 

“She didn’t seem that bothered that I showed up instead of my mother,” Inigo says. He’s a little surprised about that, really. But Owain doesn’t look surprised. He just flashes him another tiny smile as he stops in front of a door. 

 

"Of course not! With two sons such as us and a granddaughter of the most imaginative sort, my mother is able to adapt to anything seamlessly!" 

 

They’ve stopped in front of a bedroom. Ophelia’s bedroom, actually. There’s not a plaque on the door or anything but the doorframe is lined with wooden flowers that bloom out of the walls, and before they even enter Inigo knows he’s about to walk into someplace magical. 

 

When they do go inside it's really like entering a fairytale. Her room is painted, the walls are a mural. It's like it goes on for ages like you're outdoors and the grass just reaches out for the horizon. The ceiling is the sky and littered with a mixture of glitter and dangling stars and moons and planets. Her bed is bigger than Inigo's bed back home. It's got sunshine yellow sheets and a big canopy near the top. Fairy lights are woven into it, and ribbons. To one side of the room is a little work area. There's a desk and chairs and tables at the height of a child. Shelves full of bins that contain all sorts of supplies. There are toys, of course, but the room is neat for the most part. In the very center of the room, there's a round table with four chairs tucked into it. Also small chairs. There's a fake tea set on the table and tucked into two of the four chairs are stuffed animals. Ophelia, Inigo assumes, is standing. She's wearing a short, fluffy dress with black tights, and she's barefoot right now. She's pouring what Inigo can only assume is water from the tea set and into a cup for her one non-stuffed guest.

 

He’s the most giant man Inigo has ever seen. He’s wearing black slacks and shiny shoes and a white dress shirt tied with a tiny black lace bowtie. He’s older than they are; he’s like Inigo’s mom’s age. He’s holding that teacup with a precise pinky extended, but he does look up to see them when they enter.

 

Owain barks out a laugh. “Another tea party, Fred?” He asks. Ophelia sets down her pot to run closer to the two of them. 

 

“Father!” She giggles at him, but she quickly becomes distracted by Inigo. She’s small. Just about six years old, she’s tiny but Inigo can already feel the energy coming off of her. She reaches out and takes one of Inigo’s hands in hers. “Who are you?” 

 

“My name is Inigo. I’m here to help you learn ballet.” He knows Owain said that titles and formalities weren’t necessary, but he bows a little for the princess anyway. She giggles again and suddenly Inigo realizes he’s happy to be here. She’s so cute! Even if there’s a little bit of untapped family drama in this castle, he’s already decided Ophelia is above it. “You must be Princess Ophelia?” 

 

“Princess Ophelia Dusk, at your service!” Ophelia chimes. “Your hair is so pretty, it’s amazing!” 

 

Inigo reaches up and combs a few fingers through his hair by instinct. Amazing, she says? “You’re too kind.” Why can’t he get anyone his age to compliment him like that? His hair is the same color as his mother’s, soft and pink and arguably unsuited to a grown man… but he can’t bring himself to dye it. 

 

Before he can think much more about the moral dilemma of what he would look like as a brunet, the man enjoying the fake tea party stands up and wanders closer. He reaches out a hand and Inigo takes it in his. He's not sure why he's  _ surprised _ that he has a firm handshake. It shouldn’t be. This man is a giant and his voice sounds dutiful the moment Inigo hears it. 

 

“My name is Frederick. The royal nanny for lack of a better word.” 

 

“He’s been here since  _ I _ was a little kid,” Owain grins. “He helps Ophelia with her lessons and, sometimes, with her tea parties.” 

 

"I will also be happy to see that you get anything you need at all while you're here. Come to find me right away if something isn't up to standard," Frederick says. "Although you are technically under our employ you are still our guest."

 

“Father! Can we show Inigo his room?” Ophelia asks. She tugs gently on Inigo’s hands and honestly of all the people he’s met so far she’s his favorite. She reminds him of any other little girl. Maybe being royalty is a learned thing. Or maybe he’s got the wrong idea about royalty. He’s destined to find out in the near future.

 

Owain bends down and scoops Ophelia up in arguably the most “dad” way possible. He flings her in a circle by her arms before he brings her close to sit on his hip. From there he rubs his nose against hers and says “Sure, baby.” 

 

Inigo watches, but he’s suddenly gripped by a realization: Owain is just a dad. He’s not a fancy dad or a prissy dad. He’s the same amount of dad that Inigo’s father was. The kind that tosses their kids around and keeps them safe and warm and fed. And Ophelia is just a kid like anyone else. 

 

He’s got to stop creating these barriers in his brain right away! He doesn’t want to treat Ophelia like anything less than the sweet child she is. She’s not a china doll just because she has royal blood in her. Right? 

 

Frederick starts picking up the tea set and Owain turns and walks out of the room. Inigo follows on his heels and almost asks him if they should help clean up but he can’t because Ophelia is chattering. 

 

“We had lessons first, and we did timed tests. I don’t like them! I can’t focus on the numbers when I’m so busy thinking about the timer.” 

 

“I always hated those too,” Owain answers. “But did you succeed, despite your trials?” 

 

“Yes! I answered all of the questions in time! I didn’t get them all correct, but…” 

 

“Still a triumph!” Owain declares. He kisses her cheek in a way that is almost obnoxious and Ophelia bubbles over with laughter. “And then what? What else did you do with your morning?” 

 

"Well, we had a snack. Fred sliced an orange for me. He told me that Uncle Chrom used to eat them without peeling them!" She sticks her tongue out and even Inigo makes a face. Who does that? 

 

Chrom is a familiar name though. He thinks he remembers hearing about him several years ago. Inigo wasn’t yet born when he chose to abdicate the throne. He’s not sure why he did it, either, but it’s nice to know that even when they choose not to follow the same path their family is still family.

 

Or at least Ophelia doesn’t know they don’t like them yet. Maybe staying in this castle will be a good chance to learn more about the way the royal family _ actually _ behaves? It seems so far that they’re perfectly normal, but every magazine he’s ever read would have led him to believe otherwise.

 

“So then we had a tea party,” Ophelia finishes her story.

 

“And then we showed up,” Owain says. Ophelia nods her head. Owain stops in front of a door not too far down the hall from Ophelia’s room. “Inigo of… hrmm. Inigo of Ferox… so mundane. I need to come up with a proper title for you.” 

 

“Pardon me?” Inigo asks. What does a proper title even mean? He doesn’t really want to be knighted or anything weird like that while he’s here. 

 

“This is your room,” Owain says. He gestures to the door but his hands are quite full holding his daughter, and so Inigo pulls down on the handle himself. “What do you think?”

 

It’s right out of a fairytale. Inigo steps into the room and it’s like walking into a history book. The bed, the furniture, it’s all very antique. It’s in such fine condition though! The bed has posts and a canopy that drapes along the entire length of it. Right now it’s pulled back on just one side to expose the dark purple sheets and the gold trimmed bed skirt. 

 

Looking deeper into the room there's a desk and an office chair where he can set up his computer and work. (Or skype his mom.) There's a big wardrobe with fancy trim and another set of shelves that pull open to reveal a television if he really needs it. And maybe he does? He would hate to miss out on the shows he normally watches with his mother…

 

Would they judge him for watching The Bachelor? 

 

“There’s a bath on the left,” Owain says. Ophelia squirms out of his arms and runs to Inigo’s bed to bounce on it. While she does that Owain pushes open the  _ wall _ . 

 

Upon further inspection, it's just a sliding door that pushes into the wall. It leads to a full sized  _ spa _ . A giant bath with what appears to be jets, a shower with more than one head (why?) and a door just beyond that which Inigo can only guess leads to a toilet.

 

“This is absurd,” Inigo says to himself. 

 

Owain frowns at him. “Is something not right?” 

 

“Yeah! My mom is  _ never _ going to believe this. This is like from a lifetime movie or something!” 

 

Owain laughs. “A what?” 

 

“Don’t worry about it,” Inigo mumbles. He turns back to face Owain and he’s startled for a moment because he’s just… handsome again. And how dare he? Inigo came here to teach a little girl how to dance, not to be wooed. And he won’t be wooed! Especially not when Owain is no doubt engaged to be married. His coronation is in mere months! 

 

“When do lessons start?” Ophelia asks. 

 

“I suggest tomorrow,” Owain answers simply. “Inigo will want to rest after his travels and tomorrow we can show him the studio.” 

 

…

 

Tomorrow comes faster than he expects. Inigo spends half the night on Skype with his mom. He misses her already. Of course, he can't dwell on that. He does have a job to do, now. The studio, as it turns out, is perfect. There are mirrors and rails mounted to the walls and all the equipment he could dream of. It's nicer than his mom's studio if he's honest… but his mom isn't here, so it can't really top it.

 

When he arrives he’s alone. So he decides to warm up. He doesn’t imagine Ophelia will be doing too much today in terms of actually dancing, but that doesn’t stop him. He takes a breath and begins to dance. 

 

His mother used to dance professionally. Inigo never did. He danced in competitions but he never danced for a living. His mother’s routines were always flawless. He couldn’t dream of being as good as she was… but he still tries to do the routines himself. 

 

So he dances, flowing and moving to the beat of his own heart. He keeps his eyes closed and he imagines stage lights on him, he imagines eyes on him but in a way that isn't scary. In his own fantasy, he can be confident.

 

He remains confident until he hears excited clapping. Then he gasps and spins around to see Ophelia and Owain have joined him. Ophelia is applauding him wildly and he can’t help the red creeping into his cheeks. “You’re here!”

 

She’s adorable. Ophelia is wearing a little leotard with tights and a fluffy skirt. Her hair is all tied up in a bun on top of her head. Owain is also cute, as it turns out. He’s not wearing anything special though. He’s just the same as he was before, but he’s sure not leaving. 

 

“Will you be staying with us the whole time?” Inigo asks.  _ Please say no _ , he thinks. It’s bad enough that Owain looks good. It would be far worse if he stayed and thought Inigo looked stupid or something. 

 

"What? Of course, I am! Ophelia has been so excited to learn, I wouldn't leave her for the world!" Owain says. At least he's staying for a good purpose. Ophelia does deserve support. Inigo takes a deep breath.

 

“Alright,” he says. “First things first: Ophelia, let’s learn how to stretch.” 

 

"Yes!" Ophelia cheers and she runs to join Inigo in front of the mirrors. The first lesson his mother always teaches is the most important. Stretches, warm-ups, basic positions, and how to breathe. Inigo has never been an instructor but he has subbed in more than once in his life. He knows what his mother does, and so he knows how best to start too. 

 

Of course, that won't stop him from asking for her advice later on lesson plans for Ophelia. Once he has an idea of where she's at. Do they have to work on basic coordination or can they begin a routine as soon as she gets the stretches down? It all depends on how well she does now.

 

Granted Inigo is shy at first, he forgets that Owain is watching pretty quickly. Somewhere between touching their toes and standing on one foot, actually, Inigo is just entirely focused on Ophelia and what she's able to do. By the time two hours have passed Ophelia is a master at the first position and loves staring in the mirror to make sure she's doing it right. 

 

When they’re finished Inigo asks Ophelia to sit on the floor with him. She happily does, but she asks, “Why are we sitting?” 

 

“To give your legs a break before you go back to walking and standing and playing all day,” Inigo answers matter-of-factly. “You use those leg muscles a lot more than you think.” 

 

"Oh," Ophelia says. She sits back onto her hands. "Alright! Can we play a game?" 

 

“Uh,” Inigo glances at Owain. He’s been here the whole time, sitting at a small table across the room. Then he glances back at Ophelia. “What game?” 

 

“A get-to-know-you game! I ask you a question and then when you answer you get to ask me!” She clears her tiny throat. Inigo isn’t afraid of this game, though. He’s done this before, he just didn’t understand what she meant a moment before. She says “What’s your favorite color?” 

 

“Oh, right out of the gate with the hard questions I see,” Inigo teases her. “My favorite color is blue. Er, well, sort of purple. You know I think I would call it a bluish-purple.” 

 

“They have a name for that color,” Owain says from across the room. 

 

“I’m aware,” Inigo says. Then he looks back at Ophelia. “Anyway, what’s  _ your _ favorite color?” 

 

"Yellow!" Ophelia doesn't miss a beat. "I love yellow. Grandmother used to wear it a lot, and Father wears it a lot for me! And bees are yellow, and bees are my favorite bugs. They're so fat and silly. And the sun is yellow, and so are the stars, and that can't just be a coincidence." 

 

Inigo chuckles. “Those are all good reasons to love the color yellow.” 

 

“Your turn! What is it like to live in Ferox?” Ophelia asks.

 

That's easy. "Well, I live in a dance studio. We teach girls just like you to dance. It's not as big as the castle but it's comfortable. What's it like to be a princess?" 

 

"It's mostly lessons with Frederick," Ophelia says. That sounds a little accurate. Lessons are probably an important part of being royalty. "But sometimes Father takes me to see other places. Last year he took me to Nohr to meet a prince and princess who live there. I got to play with them while Father talked to their parents! We saw a lot of pretty things in that country, and pretty flowers that we don't have in our gardens, and--oh! Do you like flowers?" 

 

“Love ‘em,” Inigo says. “My mom has a garden back home, too, and… where are you going?”

 

Ophelia pushes herself to her feet and skips over to her father. Owain has just pulled her into his lap when she declares “Father we need to show Inigo the garden!”

 

“You’re right!” Owain says, “How silly of us to forget. Inigo! Will you join us to visit the castle gardens?” 

 

Actually, he would rather change into more suitable clothes to be wandering in public in. But that's not what comes out of his mouth. When Owain and Ophelia both look so excited like that, Inigo just smiles and nods his head yes. "I'd love to."

 

The garden is way beyond what Inigo was expecting. He thought they would have a few flowerbeds. They have an entire courtyard that looks like a flower nursery. It’s crazy! The first thing he notices is a hedge maze. It’s tall, taller than Inigo is, and it stretches back as far as he can see. The walls of it are thick but some flowers are blossoming on them. All around them are flowerbeds with gentle paths through them so they can be admired without being stepped on. Or watered too, Inigo supposes. There’s a fountain with a statue of a winged horse at its center. The water dribbling down makes a pretty ambiance in all these flowers. 

 

Ophelia runs forward and spins around. “See? Isn’t it amazing?” There are flowers everywhere but there’s still a big open area for Ophelia to run and play. Then, off to the side, there’s also what looks like a monument. Inigo sort of recognizes it from a tabloid. They took a picture of it and the royal family paid them a lot of money to recall that article because it was personal. Inigo remembers seeing the photo online. It’s a memorial to the late queen. Owain’s other mom. She was such a cool queen. Inigo didn’t have to live in her country or anything, but every time he turned around he was hearing something good or funny about her in magazines. She never did anything wrong, but she’s gone now. 

 

Now she just has Owain to fill her shoes, and he’s not off to a great start if the articles about him can be trusted. 

 

He jolts out of his thoughts when Ophelia pulls on his hand. “Come here! I want to give you a flower, we have some that grow the color you like!” 

 

The flowerbed she leads him to is gorgeous. And it does grow that pretty shade of bluish-purple. It’s just… “You don’t need to pick a flower just for me; I don’t want you to get into trouble for picking them.” 

 

‘I’m a princess… who is going to tell me I can’t pick a flower?” Ophelia asks. Owain barks out a laugh from behind them as he approaches. 

 

“You should always ask permission, Ophelia Dusk! But don’t you worry; you may pick a flower so long as you don’t pluck it from your grandmother’s personal garden,” Owain says. Inigo turns to look over his shoulder. 

 

"Your mom has a garden? Mine too--she says it's good for the soul to take care of plants," Inigo says. Ophelia chooses a pretty flower and so he crouches to her level to receive it. He expects her to hand it to him. Instead, she tucks it behind his ear just perfectly. 

 

“I now dub thee Sir Inigo! The guardian of the flowers.” 

 

"Milady Ophelia?" A deep voice calls. Inigo blinks and looks back towards the entrance. Frederick is there, standing with his hand folded behind his back. "Come inside and wash up and have a snack before your math lessons begin." 

 

“Oh,” Ophelia pouts. Inigo’s heart almost breaks for her, but then she bounces back with a smile. “See you later Inigo!” She stands up taller and reaches for Owain. In just a moment he scoops her up and kisses her forehead. She leaves her own kiss on his cheek. “Farewell, father!” 

 

“Stay safe, my princess,” Owain says. So dramatic! But Inigo can sort of tell this is a game they play. “I’ll be waiting for you.” 

 

He sets Ophelia down and she runs back towards the door to meet Frederick. Not a whole breath later Owain puts out his hand for Inigo to take. He does. He accepts the help getting to his feet and before he can even think Owain says “She can’t actually knight you. Sorry. But your flower looks nice.” 

 

"I didn't actually believe it would count," Inigo admits, "So I'm not heartbroken. If I can be a knight in her eyes, that's all that matters." 

 

Owain tucks his hands into his back pockets and begins to walk. Just a leisurely stroll through the very big garden. “So… that dance you were doing was one of your mother’s old shows, right? I recognize it.” 

 

“You watched my mother’s performances?” 

 

Owain nods his head. “Well sure. Ophelia really too an interest in ballet and so we tried to find her some of the best of the best to look at. But watching you do it, I’m surprised we didn’t find any performances of your own. You were incredible!” 

 

“I’m hardly that good,” Inigo argues softer. “I never danced professionally. I placed in a few competitions, but then I moved back in with mom when she got sick.” 

 

“She’s okay now though, isn’t she?” Owain asks. “I would never ask you to stay here if your mother needs you.” 

 

“She’s not sick anymore, but I’ve been taking care of her for a long time now. It’s just odd not to be home.” Inigo gently kicks a pebble out of the path and into some flowers. “Speaking of mothers, though… Well not to put my nose where it doesn’t belong, but what exactly was going on with your mother and you yesterday?”

 

“Oh!” Owain laughs. “Don’t worry about that. She’s just getting a little anxious because my coronation is coming up. It was a terrible first impression! We rarely fight, let alone yell at each other. I hope you’ll cast it from your mind.” 

 

“Oh! I know your coronation is coming up! You know it’s all anyone is talking about back home. We don’t have our own royal family to obsess over, so we settle for you guys.” 

 

"That's a little weird," Owain says. He rubs the back of his neck. "The coronation is only a short while away, but if you're still here teaching Ophelia by the time it arrives I would be honored to have you attend. As her guest! I can already tell she loves you." 

 

“What? Really? How? Don’t you have to be some kind of nobility to attend a ball?” Inigo can’t believe it. How cool would it be if he went to the coronation? His mom will be so jealous.

 

“Well, you really just need to be invited by the crown prince, I think,” Owain says. “Who is going to tell me no?” 

 

“I see Ophelia comes by that honestly,” Inigo grins. “Ah, speaking of Ophelia, will you be attending every lesson with her? If so I think you need to participate.” 

 

“Oh, no, I don’t think so. I’m just going to watch the lessons while you two dance. I’m not much of a ballerina.” 

 

“You would be a ballerino,” Inigo says. “And what are you so afraid of? Don’t think you can touch your toes?” 

 

"Well, aren't you being awfully casual with a prince!" Owain laughs. He laughs harder while Inigo's face falls. But it's scary to be told that! It's not as if he's trying to be rude. Owain said to treat him like a normal person, and so he has been. What if he's being too normal? But he's only halfway through beginning to panic when Owain dips his head. "Inigo? I'm joking."

 

“Oh, thank god,” Inigo breathes out his worry as a sigh. “Don’t do that to me! I don’t know the first thing about being proper!” 

 

“I know. It’s easy to tell.” Owain laughs again. Inigo whacks his arm and he laughs even harder. Damn, he’s got a cute laugh.

 

…

 

It's later that week that Inigo notices Owain sneaking off by happenstance. He's just passing by a window that overlooks the garden when he sees Owain heading into that giant hedge maze. It's none of his business and he should just head to bed, but he can't help his own curiosity. He runs down the stairs and out into the courtyard to keep up with him.

 

It's dusk and getting darker. Inigo can't see very well in the maze, it's like the light doesn't know how to weave into these hedges. He pulls out his phone and fumbles with it until he gets the flashlight feature working. 

 

“Better,” he mutters to himself. He’s never been inside this maze before. Mostly because it intimidates him! He doesn’t know his way through! That’s part of his problem. He lost Owain the moment he ran away from that window and he doesn’t have a mental picture of the maze in his mind.

 

Maybe, he thinks, instinct will carry him through. The maze smells sweet like grass and flowers… but there's something sort of eerie about it. He can't help noticing that it seems… too quiet. No bugs are chirping, no birds at all... 

 

If this were a horror movie, Inigo decides, he would die in this maze. A ghoul would spring out and chase him down a winding path until he hit a dead end and had no choice but to turn and meet his gruesome fate.

 

This isn’t a horror movie, but when he finds a dead end he’s a little frustrated anyway. The end is just a wall of shrubbery… there’s a large metal decoration hanging near the top of the hedges. Inigo doesn’t know for sure what it is, but he doesn’t care. 

 

He turns around to walk back the way he came and the light of his phone passes right over Owain. Inigo  _ screams _ . “Whaa! What! Owain! Good gods,” Inigo claps a hand over his chest like an old man having a heart attack. Maybe he is.

 

“Wow, I’ve never seen this corner before. You got  _ really _ lost,” Owain mumbles. “What are you doing out here?” 

 

“Following you! What are  _ you _ doing out here?” Inigo asks. Maybe a little aggressively, but he gets his point across. Owain dips his head like a puppy to one side. 

 

“You’re spying on me? I’m hurt.” 

 

“Don’t give me that. Come on--what are you doing out in the hedges after dark?” 

 

Inigo stares into Owain’s eyes (pretty, very pretty eyes) and Owain’s smile spreads up the side of his face. “Do you want to come with me? I’ll show you.” He holds out his hand.

 

His hand! Like he wants Inigo to take it! And so… he does. He puts his hand in Owain’s and not a breath later the two of them begin walking. It’s sort of like a dream. Oh! Could this be a dream? No, it feels very real. But all he can hear is their breathing and the grass crunching under their feet. Owain’s hand is so warm in his but Inigo’s hand is already cold and clammy, he can tell. He’s nervous!

 

“Where are we going?”

 

"My mother's secret room," Owain whispers. There are twists and turns, enough that Inigo is thoroughly lost again until Owain stops at a large, rectangular hedge. "This is the center of the maze," he says.

 

He pushes aside some branches and there’s a hidden  _ path _ behind them. It's absurd. Inigo crawls through first, and Owain follows him… and on the inside, there is a dusty trap door on the ground. "How did you find this?" Inigo asks. Owain crouches down to shove dust and leaves off the handle and when he gets it open there are stairs descending into the ground. 

 

“On accident,” Owain answers. Maybe this is a horror movie? They’re also going to die down  _ there _ . Owain walks down first, but Inigo follows him slowly. The stairs creak under their feet and when they reach the bottom Owain fumbles with a chain until a dull, yellow light pours over the room. 

 

“Are we going to get murdered down here?” Inigo asks. “I just want to know, that’s all.” 

 

"Don't be a chicken." Owain positions a hand on his hip, but with the other, he gestures towards the room. "This is my mother's secret study. I knew she had it. She told me about it several times when I was growing up. She told me that sometimes loving her people required her to have a little space. I think she worked on a lot of private things down here." 

 

It's a lounge. There are a few lounge chairs, a tea table, and a desk. There aren't any windows, and it's certainly a small room… but it's charming. Actually, it's really cool. Inigo has never been in a secret room before, but this is a neat one. 

 

Inigo wanders closer to the desk and he finds a stack of a few books. They’re all dusty beyond reading, but when he brushes his thumb over the spines they appear to be fiction. In a stack next to the books there are some old drawings. “What are these?” 

 

Owain steps closer to Inigo again. He settles his palm against the small of his back and he peers over his shoulder. “Oh! Brady and I drew those when we were kids.”

 

Well, that's just adorable. Owain's mom had a secret study where she kept books and her kids' artwork. Inigo reaches out and picks up a thin notebook. When he turns open the first page there's a poem written in it. 

 

_ My love for you is plain as day _

_ So never need you weep _

_ I’ll give the world to you, my dear, _

_ My treasure, it's yours to keep. _

_ Follow your path and listen to your heart _

_ But should you ever see a sign… _

_ That sign is there to show you the way _

_ May it be happiness you find. _

 

"She wrote poetry?" Inigo asks. It's very sweet. Inigo isn't a professional but obviously, this poem is about finding yourself, and a mother's love and guidance. It makes him miss home again, for a moment. He reaches up and rubs his thumb over a little symbol scribbled in the corner of the page. "I've seen this before." 

 

"Mother used to doodle in margins all the time," Owain answers. "Her poetry is wonderful! Usually, she wrote poems with more length than this." 

 

He takes the book gently from Inigo. "This isn't like any poem she's written before, and I've read over it time and again, hoping to uncover a hidden meaning… but I'm afraid there is none." 

 

Owain looks sad! Maybe he was hoping to find a secret message from his mother, written from before she died. “So what made your mom tell you she had a secret room in the garden?” 

 

"Well, she didn't tell me its location. I had to find that on my own. But I think she told me because she wanted to prove to me that you can be king and still have plenty of freedom. It's just--well, this isn't the sort of freedom I need." 

 

Owain closes the book but he keeps it close to his chest. Inigo clears his throat. “What… sort of freedom do you need?” Owain sighs loudly and Inigo realizes that might have been a personal question. “I’m sorry…” 

 

"No, it's alright. That fight my mother and I were sharing when we met was over this very freedom. In Ylisse the law states that the crown prince or princess's marriage must be arranged politically. To better the country a nobleman or woman should be chosen. I don't want to marry someone who has been assigned to me as a task, though. I want something more than that." 

 

“But won’t you be king soon? Can’t you change that rule?” Inigo asks. 

 

“Yes! And I intend to--Ophelia will marry whoever she chooses when she grows up. But in order to  _ become _ king, in order to proceed with the coronation, I must already be married.” 

 

“Oh.” That is a pickle, isn’t it? Inigo bites his lip. “So you can’t change the law until after it’s already affected you. That’s awful.” 

 

"Do you believe in the power of true love? I do, Inigo. I think that a man's soulmate is out there somewhere, waiting to be found! I think that love, at first sight, is real, and I think… that a political marriage will prevent me from ever finding it." 

 

Inigo nods his head. “I like to believe in those sort of things, too. So… what about Ophelia’s mother? Was she your true love?” 

 

“Oh! Ha, no. She’s… not anyone.” Owain shakes his head. “That happened over a holiday I spent abroad and it was a mistake. Mother tracked Ophelia’s mother down and bought her silence and custody rights. She has no claim to our throne, our wealth, or my daughter.” 

 

He rubs the back of his head. “I really thought it was going to be romantic when it started. We might fall in love, you know? But not ten minutes after she told me she was expecting she starting bargaining for money. And… I think it was her plan all along. I couldn’t even tell you where that woman is anymore.” 

 

“Oh,” Inigo closes his mouth. Do people do that? It almost feels like taking advantage, but who is he to talk. 

 

“Oh indeed! Ophelia was the very first royal scandal I caused. She’s a cute one though, isn’t she?”

 

“She’s very cute,” Inigo agrees. “And very sweet.” 

 

“I wouldn’t trade her for anything,” Owain nods.

 

Inigo brushes his fingertips along a desk while he steps just a little closer to Owain. It’s dim lighting down here and he can see dust in the air. He sits on the edge of the desk. “So what you’re telling me is that you don’t want to have an arranged marriage, and that’s why you’re refusing to be king?” 

 

“What?” Owain shakes his head. “Who told you I was refusing to be king?” 

 

"Oh, that's all the magazines ever talk about. The news, the tabloids… they talk about how you keep traveling because you're planning to leave forever. Don't you know?" 

 

“I try not to take an interest in tabloids,” Owain admits. “I never said I wasn’t going to do it.” 

 

“Can’t Brady?” Inigo asks. “If you chose not to, that is.” 

 

“Brady was adopted,” Owain answers. “I mean--I’m biologically my--That is,” 

 

“Your mother who passed away is your blood relative. I’m following you. So you were a surrogacy and Brady was adopted?” 

 

“Something like that,” Owain nods. “The crown can only be passed over to a blood relative.”

 

"So," Inigo hums, "What about that uncle that Fred mentioned? Who eats  oranges peel and all?"

 

“Chrom. He abdicated his throne because--well--because he was in love with a woman who wasn’t of noble birth. He had three siblings so at the time it seemed fine to him. His daughter or his son  _ can _ rule, but I doubt they want to. Even if they did… Well, we have a blood relative on the other side of the family who would be entitled to it first. It’s a mess, the way the flowchart of entitlement works.  _ That _ relative would drive this country into the ground.” 

 

Owain’s shoulders sag. Inigo can tell this weighs on him all the time. He’s clearly put a lot of thought into it. “Then you’re going to allow your mother to arrange your marriage for the sake of the country. Is that right?” 

 

“I need to set a good example for Ophelia,” Owain nods his head. “I wouldn’t walk out on my family or my country. I wouldn’t want her to either.”

 

“Owain,” Inigo frowns. “I think following your heart and doing what you believe in is the  _ most  _ important thing you can teach your daughter. Don’t give up. Maybe you just needed a new set of eyes? If there’s a loophole in here I’ll do my best to help you find it.” 

 

He looks down at that journal Owain took. “Starting with that weird symbol in that margin. I know you said your mom doodles, but I swear I’ve seen that before somewhere. It’s just… I’m drawing a blank.” 

 

“My mom used to leave me clues and messages all the time. We played scavenger hunts.” He shrugs. “I just don’t know where to begin. That poem is very plain. It doesn’t sound like it holds a secret to me at all. But maybe that symbol does. If you see it again you must tell me right away!” 

 

"You have my word," Inigo says. It's only been a few days but there's something about this family that Inigo likes. He's decided. They're all good people! Owain, Ophelia, Brady, Maribelle, even Frederick all seem to have only the best interests of their country and family in mind. So why should reporters write lies about Owain to make him seem flaky? Maybe it's just because his coronation is approaching. Any time someone new is elected into office in Ferox the political campaigns are disrespectful too. 

 

But Owain doesn't deserve that. And it's a shame that he may have to sacrifice his own dreams of romance just so that his country can have a king who won't ruin the Halidom. If nothing else, Inigo hopes he can help this coronation go off without a hitch. Owain deserves that, at least. It may be none of his business, but Inigo is truly touched by his willingness to settle in the name of Ylisse. 


	2. Goodbye

It’s only a week later that Ophelia somehow inspires a trip to the beach. She’s just sitting on the floor after a rehearsal one day and she decides she wants to go. She asks Inigo to go with her and Owain arranges a trip for them. 

 

Inigo can’t be mad. He can’t remember the last time he went to the beach. He’s worried at first that going to the beach with a  _ prince _ might result in some kind of publicity, but… it’s surprisingly empty when they arrive. “Is this beach closed to the public?” 

 

“Just this portion of it,” Owain answers. He lays a blanket out and Ophelia starts to run towards the water. With reflexes quick as lightning cracking across the sky Owain reaches out and claps his hand on her shoulder. “Nuh-uh. Wait a minute.” 

 

“Father! The beach!” Ophelia whines. Inigo watches Owain fish around in a backpack… and he pulls a can of sunscreen from it. 

 

"Close your eyes and hold your breath, Ophie," Owain says. As soon as she obeys he sprays her down with sunscreen head to toe. Inigo supposes she is a pretty pale girl. She may burn easily. But she's adorable there. She's got on flip-flops and a tiny swimsuit and a big floppy hat that Inigo is convinced belongs to the queen herself. Her sunglasses are shaped like stars and she pulls them lower on her nose to look at Owain.

 

“Now?” She asks.

 

“Yes, now,” Owain says. She squeals and leaves him behind to run out into the water. 

 

“Did you tell anyone where you were going?” Inigo asks when Ophelia is splashing on the waves. Owain looks at him and then shakes his head. “I left a note for Ma.” 

 

Owain and Inigo both came here wearing trunks and t-shirts. Owain peels his shirt off and he’s  _ ripped _ . It’s absurd. Inigo’s mouth runs dry just looking at him. “Uh…”

 

“Something wrong?” Owain asks. Inigo shakes his head no.

 

“Will you be in much trouble?” 

 

“I’m the prince, Inigo. I can pretty much do whatever I want.” Owain sprays the same sunscreen on himself and then offers it to Inigo. He doesn’t really need it. 

 

"I don't burn," he says. What can he say? He was born and raised in Ferox. He doesn't have to worry about sunburns. Owain is fair and freckled, though, and Inigo can tell he would burn easily. Inigo takes a breath and drops his own shirt onto the towel. He's half expecting Owain to mention that he's  _ not _ ripped, but he doesn't. He doesn’t say anything, and that’s best. Inigo walks out to the water and tests it with his toes.

 

It’s not cold, but it’s comfortably cool. It washes up over the sand and over his legs up past his ankles. In and out with each ripple, Inigo can already feel himself relaxing. This is perfect. It smells like saltwater and the sun is warm on his back. 

 

“Inigo! We should play tag!” Ophelia says. Inigo looks around. The beach is clean and long, plenty big enough to play tag, of course. “You’re it, okay?” 

 

Inigo barely has time to process it before she takes off running. Once he does figure out what’s going on he chases her down the beach. She’s surprisingly fast, but he’s got long legs and good endurance. He catches her around her waist not long after and spins her around. Water flicks off of her toes and in a circle around them and she squeals in delight. 

 

“No fair!” She giggles, “You caught me too fast!” 

 

“But you’re it now, aren’t you darling?” Inigo asks. “I believe that’s in the rules of the game.” 

 

“Are you two alright over there?” Owain calls. He’s just standing in the water, letting it crash over his knees. Ophelia’s voice drops to a whisper.

 

“Let’s get Father,” She says. Inigo’s smile grows wider while she comes up with a plan. “I’ll sit on your shoulders, and  _ you _ chase him. You’ll be much faster than I am.” 

 

“Don’t choke me,” Inigo warns her. He crouches and Ophelia climbs onto his back, and then his shoulders. And she does choke him for a second, on accident. Then she pushes down on his head in a way that sort of hurts… but ultimately she settles on his shoulders and waits. “Ready?” Inigo asks.

 

"Ready," Ophelia says. So they run. They get pretty far before Owain notices them, and when he does notice them barreling at him he doesn't even run, he just squawks out an alarmed noise. They're almost there when Ophelia slips from Inigo's grip and balances one of her feet on his shoulders. 

 

“What are you doing?” He asks, officially terrified. He knows exactly what she’s doing but before he can do anything to stop it she leaps off of his shoulders and onto Owain. He yelps as he catches her, barely stopping her from crashing into the ground. Inigo gasps. There’s a moment of silence, and then…

 

“You’re it!” Ophelia shouts. “You’re it, Father!”

 

Tag turns into sand castles. Owain wrestles Ophelia to the sand and after a giggle-fit, she settles down to build a castle. "Will you find me shells?" She asks them, and so Owain and Inigo begin walking the nearby shore to look for pretty shaped shells to decorate a castle. 

 

“You know, this is fun,” Inigo says. “I never thought you would be like this when I learned I would be meeting you.” 

 

"I can't be fun?" Owain asks. He bends down and picks up a pink, scalloped shell. After some inspection, he keeps it in his palm while they continue. 

 

“No, it’s not that,” Inigo argues. “It’s just that I expected you to be… I don’t know, stuffy. Snooty, because you’re a prince. Like in a movie!” 

 

“I think you watch too much TV.” Owain grins. “Being a prince doesn’t change my personality, it just changes my job title.” He shuffles a little to walk further in the water. Probably because he wants to feel the waves on his feet. Inigo follows him without any hesitation, but he continues scouring for shells while he does. 

 

“No, it’s just that this feels like it  _ is _ TV. Don't you see? It's like a Hallmark movie." 

 

"This is the second time you've compared me to a Hallmark movie and I still don't know what that is," Owain says.

 

“No, this time I’m comparing me to one. And it’s just a bad movie. A cheesy one. The sort of movie where the lead character, probably a blonde woman who has a demanding job and a scarf, and she moves into a castle and falls in love with a prince and gets involved in a scandal and they break up and then get together at the end,” Inigo barely takes a breath while he babbles. Owain raises his eyebrow at him.

 

“I didn’t know you were falling in love with me,” Owain says. “That could be a problem. You know, what with the whole arranged marriage situation and all.” 

 

“I’m  _ not _ falling in love with you! Ugh! That's not what I meant. I  _ meant _ if this were a  _ movie _ I would be falling in love with you. A bad movie! With no taste!” Inigo’s face turns deep red, but he finds himself forced to watch Owain laugh anyway.

 

“Ouch! Okay! Leave me some of my pride intact. I’m not falling in love with you anytime soon either, thanks. My heart only has room for Ophelia Dusk.” He plucks another shell out of the water. 

 

Somehow, Inigo seriously doubts Owain's heart has any limits at all. He shoves him by his arm. "Good. I'm glad we're in agreement because if I were to win any hearts around here I would want to win hers." 

 

"Well, you can't marry her either!" Owain says. He shoves Inigo right back, just a touch harder. "She's only just a kid." 

 

“I don’t want to marry her!” Inigo snorts. He shoves Owain one more time, but this time he gets him just enough to cause him to stumble as the tide washes over them. Poor Owain falls. Inigo almost feels bad, but then Owain grips his wrist and drags him down with him. “Whaaa!” 

 

It’s just a tumble. Owain lands on his back with water brushing past his hair and Inigo lands on top of him like this is some kind of fanfiction about volleyball players. One of the shells they just worked so hard collecting starts to drift away and Inigo scrambles to grab it… and when he’s done he sits back and admires Owain momentarily. Underneath him. 

 

“If this was a movie it would be a very cheesy one,” Inigo repeats. He pushes himself off of Owain and holds out his hand to help him up. Not to be dramatic or anything, but if this was a movie this would be the part where Inigo was helpless to do anything at all but kiss Owain. When he pulled him to his feet he would sweep him up into a kiss so romantic and thirsty and proud…

 

But it’s not a movie and so when he helps Owain to his feet he just flashes him a sunshine smile and they resume searching for shells.

 

…

 

"You've been doing so well, did you know that Ophelia?" Inigo asks her another week later. Ophelia has really begun to master the basics! They're through with their rehearsal, but Inigo is stretching with her as a cooldown. Sitting on the floor is no longer a requirement; Ophelia is learning fast. 

 

“Thank you! I love learning ballet so much!” Ophelia and Inigo stretch their arms above their heads high and Inigo is about to tell her to bend and try to put her palms flat on the floor when he notices Owain shift. 

 

Owain typically stays and watches rehearsals. He makes funny comments or encourages his daughter. He takes more pictures than Inigo prefers but he puts funny filters on them so it’s not as bad. Now he stands up and wanders closer. He takes a stance similar to Ophelia’s on the other side of her. 

 

“Will you stretch with us, Father?” Ophelia asks.

 

"Yeah! Why not? I could use a good stretch." Inigo continues and bends at the waist until his hands are on the floor and he's glancing up to see Owain with his fingertips at his toes. 

 

“What do you know? Looks like you can touch your toes after all.” 

 

“A great hero is limber, wouldn’t you agree?” Owain says. He does a pretty good job of keeping up with the stretches. Inigo is impressed! If he’s not impressed by that, though, he’s impressed when Ophelia guides him to do part of her routine and he executes it fairly accurately. 

 

He knows how to do his daughter’s ballet routine. It’s cute. Inigo taps his fingertip on his lips thoughtfully. “Maybe you need a solo?” 

 

"Me? I would, but I couldn't. The spotlight is meant for Ophelia Dusk. Only she can keep the dark and light at bay. I am nothing but a backup dancer in the performance that is her life." Owain positions a hand on his hip but the other is splayed out dramatically in front of him. Inigo snorts. 

 

“Okay  _ whatever _ , if that’s what you want.” Inigo starts to pick up equipment but when they’re not looking he snaps a picture of Owain and Ophelia on his phone. They’re just… so cute. He can’t help it! Owain gave him his phone number a while ago (which was sort of weird, but he needs to keep tabs on his daughter!) and so maybe Inigo can send it to him later.

 

"Milady Ophelia," Frederick calls. Inigo startles. He picks her up every day, but for some reason, he simply wasn't expecting Frederick to interrupt his daydream about Owain. Ophelia kisses Owain's cheek and then runs to put her hand in Fredericks. "How was your lesson today?" He asks in a softer voice. 

 

Inigo can just barely hear her starting to explain it to him as they go. Then his attention settles on the CD player because a song starts to play. Owain has just pushed down the play button and Inigo clears his throat. "You weren't done dancing?" He asks.

 

Owain wanders just a little closer and he holds out his hands for Inigo to take. “What if we try a dance I know how to do, yeah?” 

 

“Uh.” Inigo looks at Owain’s hands. Is this for real? If he takes his hands and they dance this has officially become a movie. There’s no denying it anymore. And if he takes his hands and dances he might not be able to pretend he doesn’t actually have some feelings for him anymore, either. 

 

But when Owain smiles at him like that, how can he say no? Inigo lets Owain have his hands and Owain uses them to pull him closer. He sets his hand properly on Inigo’s waist and Inigo concedes and sets his hand on Owain’s shoulder. Then they’re just… dancing. Slow. Together. In time. 

 

“My mother found a few people she asked me to consider marrying,” Owain says. His voice is calm. Inigo can barely hear it over the slow music. 

 

But he does hear it, and it sort of reminds him that, unlike a shitty movie, he’s not going to be able to have a relationship with Owain. “When do you need to do that? Isn’t the coronation coming up fast?” 

 

"Well, there's no rule for when or how long I have to be married before I can be coronated. I can be married ten minutes before as long as the legal documentation checks out," Owain says. "She's asking me to consider one of the Nohrian siblings. I know them all well, and there are several, but I don't think I'm interested in being  _ married _ to any of them.”

 

“Well you’re not interested in marrying anyone, Owain, that’s the whole,” Inigo spins his hand in the air a few times before he sets it back on Owain’s shoulder. “Problem, I suppose. So what do you plan to do about it?” 

 

“I don’t really have much say in the matter. That’s what makes an arranged marriage ‘arranged,’ after all.” 

 

Inigo glances down. He doesn’t want to look at Owain when he admits defeat like that. It’s sad! And despite their best efforts, there’s just nothing they can do about it. Not that impacts Inigo that much, it’s just…

 

It’s just that Owain’s hand slides down from his waist and settles warm and gentle on his hip. He guides Inigo closer and their bodies touch. Their dance becomes that much more intimate, and Inigo’s face gets hotter. It’s not that he has feelings for the prince, it’s just that he been spending so much time with him lately, and there’s an obvious attraction between them, and he’s just such a doofy, cute guy. 

 

So maybe Inigo has feelings for him. What of it? He dares to peek back up at Owain and as soon as he does Owain comes to a slow stop. He leans in closer, Inigo leans up into him. Inigo’s eyes slide shut and he can feel Owain’s breath on his lips…

 

Then suddenly Owain backs up. He didn’t even kiss Inigo, but he’s left standing there with his heart racing out of his chest. It’s not fair! “I think,” Owain clears his throat. “I need to be fitted for my coronation clothes. I’m sorry.” 

 

“It’s… It’s alright,” Inigo mumbles. Owain turns and walks quickly out of the room. Inigo is slower while he wanders over to the CD player. He presses the stop button and the music clicks off.

 

What would happen if Owain were to kiss him just then? Would it have been the end of the world? Unlikely… but it might have done more harm than good. 

 

“Inigo.” He hears a voice and he turns to face the source. His heart sinks when he sees Maribelle. He’s never been afraid of her before, but in this moment, unsure what she’s seen, he is. He takes a short bow.

 

“Your Majesty,” he greets her. “What can I do for you?” 

 

"Come to join me for tea."

 

She turns and walks out and Inigo has no choice but to follow her. He’s nervous. The moment she said his name he was nervous. He’s nervous when he settles down on a seat in her lounge and he’s nervous when she pours a cup of tea for him. He can’t drink it. His hands would shake. So he thanks her and waits.

 

She doesn’t keep him waiting long. 

 

“I know that Ophelia loves having you here, but I think I need to make one thing perfectly clear: I want nothing more than what’s best for my son.” 

 

“Your Majesty, I--” 

 

“Just--wait. Listen to me. When Lissa and I were married we were so happy and so fortunate that my social stature allowed for our marriage to happen. But Lissa always worried about her brother. You probably know he chose not to be king because he was in love with someone he couldn’t marry.” 

 

“Owain mentioned that to me, yes.” Inigo looks at his hands. He feels like he’s about to be punished for something he hasn’t even technically done.

 

“Yes, I’m sure he did. He mentioned it to Lissa as well. Lissa knew Owain didn’t want to be trapped in a political marriage but she passed away before she could do anything to stop it. If I could change the law myself I would, but I don’t have any authority to do so. There’s nothing I can do to change the law, do you understand?” 

 

Inigo frowns. “Yes, I understand.” 

 

“I can tell you have feelings for him. I can tell he has feelings for you! It’s obvious when he’s happy. He’s just like his mother; he wears his heart, and his mood, on his sleeve.” Maribelle sighs heavily. “Inigo, dear, you’re very sweet. You’re exactly the kind of young man I would  _ expect  _ Owain to fall for. You've done nothing wrong, but you must understand that if you can't put your feelings aside we may have to reconsider your employment. I don't want you breaking his heart any more than it already has to break." 

 

Inigo's hands are clammy. He nods his head. "I do understand, I do. It's not my intention to hurt him." And it's not his intention to hurt himself! Owain was right to back away instead of kissing him. This is real life. Not a movie, not a tabloid. If he gets involved with a prince he's going to have his feelings hurt in the end. That's just the way it has to be.

 

Inigo doesn't stay with Maribelle long. He never even takes a sip of his tea. He's not upset with her. She just wants what's best for Owain, and hey, he gets it. She can't do anything to help his situation either and it sounds as if she could, she would. Maybe they were trying to before Lissa died? It's too late now. 

 

He walks past that window overlooking the garden again and he notices Owain and Ophelia outside below him. They’re chasing each other around the garden… how did she get out of lessons so fast? Surely that much time couldn’t have passed. 

 

Owain scoops Ophelia up and spins her around and although he’s all the way up the stairs and inside Inigo can almost hear her giggles when he blows a raspberry at her. When he sets her back on her feet she strikes a pose with her hand positioned in front of her face and he mimics her. 

 

Inigo just absolutely loves them. Seeing them smiling, together, it makes him smile too! Even if he’s not strictly willing to admit he’s in  _ love _ with Owain, he certainly knows he loves him. It's like he's known him his whole life like he's an old best friend and they're just catching up. But he's not.

 

“Hey.” 

 

“Gods!” Inigo gasps and clutches his chest with his hand. He turns his head and there is Brady, standing over his shoulder and also watching Owain and Ophelia down below. “You terrified me!” 

 

“I know, I have a scary face. Sorry.” 

 

“That--That’s not what I meant at all. You just snuck up on me.” Inigo takes a deep breath. “Brady, what can I do for you?” 

 

“I just couldn’t help overhearing you talking with ma, is all,” Brady says. Inigo groans. He puts his face in his hands and shakes his head.

 

“You too? I know. Lay off the flirting. I’m on it.” 

 

Brady snorts. Inigo doesn’t actually think it’s that funny, but it makes him smile just a little to know at least someone finds this amusing. “It’s not that. It ain’t my business. I just wondered if you’ll still be showin’ up at the coronation.” 

 

"Oh." Inigo folds his arms across his chest. The coronation is so soon, but Inigo always planned to go. From the day he arrived, he planned to attend. "Owain did invite me. It would be rude of me to decline. Besides, that might double as his wedding day, don't you think?"

 

“It’s gonna have to.” Brady tucks his hands into his pockets and sighs. “It’s rough, you know? I’ve known him his whole life. He’s a good guy, he doesn’t deserve to have a random person slapped onto him just for politics.” 

 

“You don’t have to know him his whole life to know that,” Inigo mumbles. “Have you met the person his mother chose?” 

 

“I’ve met a couple. They’re nice and all. If he’s lucky they’ll get along well enough and fall in love down the line,” Brady says. How can he say it so casually though? It makes Inigo feel sick. “I wish I could do it for him. But, you know. Exalted bloodline and all that malarkey.” 

 

Inigo pats Brady’s back. “I’m sure you’ve done everything you can as his brother. You’ll have to excuse me. I’m going to bed.” 

 

…

 

There’s nothing anyone can do. The woman that Maribelle and Owain finally landed on is a nice enough girl with about as much interest in marrying Owain as he has in marrying her. But she’s sweet and pretty. Inigo has met her. Her name is Cynthia and her mother works as a commanding officer in the royal guard. 

 

The coronation is the day after tomorrow, and instead of ballet lessons in the morning, Ophelia has a lot of fittings and other tasks to do. Everyone in the castle does. Inigo is sort of aimlessly waiting for this awful day to pass. 

 

It's early, horribly early, when there's a loud knock on his door. Once, twice, and then an annoying never-ending chain of knocks. "Stop!" Inigo shouts. "I'm coming, stop it." He pushes himself out of bed and rubs his eyes while he walks to the door. It's only then that he gets a glance at the time. Two in the morning. 

 

It’s actually no surprise when he opens the door to see Owain. He’s expecting it, he’s just not sure why. He pushes a hand through his hair and then drags his palm down his sleepy face. “Owain, good god, man. Is the castle on fire?” 

 

“I need your help,” Owain says. He pushes his way into the room and Inigo sighs and closes the door behind him. He’s still trying to rub the sleep from his eyes when Owain flicks on the light and sets Lissa’s poetry book on the bed. “I was wrong. That poem is a clue. Mom left something behind.” 

 

Inigo could die, honestly. The light is too bright, it’s too early, and he’s just so tired. Still… hearing Owain sound so confident is nice. He hasn’t heard him excited all week. So he sits down and lays his hand over Owain’s on the bed, gently. “Alright,” he says. “Tell me more.” 

 

“There’s just no way she used the word treasure on accident. Mom used to make treasure maps for me all the time when I was a kid,” Owain says. He opens up the diary. The first page is that poem again, with the odd symbol drawn in the margin. “I’ve been through this book front to back several times, but not since you mentioned that symbol. Here, look.” 

 

Halfway through the book Owain opens up to a page that seems like nonsense at first. It’s an arrow that turns at right angles and twists around the page in a pattern that makes next to no sense. 

 

"What's this?" He asks. He picks up the journal. Maybe he could make more sense of it with a better context of Lissa's past? But then he notices something important: that symbol from the first page is drawn in the corner of this one too. "This is a map?" 

 

“Yes! I believe this is the hedge maze.” Owain points to the arrow. “The turns seem so specific. I think if we begin the path at the entrance…” 

 

“...All these turns are turns you can take in the maze?” Inigo asks. Wouldn’t that be incredible? “You think what, Owain, that ‘x’ marks the spot and we’ll find a buried treasure?” 

 

“I don’t know!” Owain hisses. “Inigo, I don’t know, but if my mother wanted me to find something shouldn’t I try? If we find nothing then fine; it’s nothing but a poem and a coincidence. But what if we  _ do _ find something?” 

 

“What  _ if _ we do find something, Owain? What are you hoping to find?” He squeezes Owain’s hand but he doesn’t get an answer, not really. 

 

“Will you help me?” 

 

“Yeah,” Inigo says. “Yeah, anything you need.” 

 

“I think I need a partner in crime,” Owain says. “Come on. Let’s go find something.” 

 

The hedge maze is exactly where you would get murdered in a horror movie. Inigo thought it the last time he was wandering through it, but this time even more so. It's a little creepy to be following a map to what may be a treasure Owain's dead mother left behind. 

 

He hopes, seriously hopes, they find something. Owain may not know what he's hoping for, but he's obviously wishing for something. Inigo can't do much to help except follow him and hold a flashlight while he reads the map. So far all of the turns match up with directions in the maze… so that's hopeful, at least. 

 

“It’s crazy how dark it is out here,” Inigo mutters. “Which way next?” He asks. 

 

Owain slides his hand into Inigo’s. It’s just a tiny gesture but it puts butterflies in his chest. It reminds him that he’s not allowed to have Owain. He already agreed to stop flirting with him but it’s been something of an impossible endeavor. Their personalities just click together so well, and Owain deserves the attention. 

 

“Left up here,” Owain says. “Last turn.” He squeezes Inigo’s hand in his and Inigo squeezes right back. Moral support. When they make the turn they come to a dead end in the maze. 

 

Inigo can feel Owain deflate. There’s nothing here. The hedges are pushed right up against the wall that surrounds the castle. There’s nowhere for a treasure to be. The ground here is made of cobblestone instead of grass, even. There’s nothing at all. 

 

“I’m sorry,” He says. 

 

Owain takes a slow breath. “It’s alright. If all this poem means is to follow my own heart, I know my mother wanted me to take it seriously.” 

 

Inigo nods his head. He walks closer to the wall of the hedge. He pushes his hand against it and sure enough, there's just a stone wall behind it, no empty space where a hidden room might be. But then something catches his eye, far up above their heads. 

 

“Oh, I’ve been here before,” Inigo realizes. “This is where you first found me. I remember that metal ornament.” 

 

“What ornament?” Owain asks, but when he cranes his neck back to look he gasps. “Inigo! Look!” 

 

Inigo turns around to look at Owain, but he’s holding the book in the air. When he turns the book upside down the symbol matches the shape of that ornament on the wall. “It’s the map,” Inigo breathes. Owain pulls back on the hedges. He breaks off branches with no concern for the poor plant. When he’s cleared some of them away… There’s a cabinet door in the wall. A hidden safe! 

 

“This bizarre,” Inigo whispers. He shines the light at the lock. “What’s that key? Is that a circle?” 

 

“Yeah,” Owain answers. “Yeah, it’s a ring.” A ring? Inigo watches him fight with his own hand. He struggles to pull a ring off of his pinky finger, but he holds it out for Inigo to see. 

 

“Is that your mother’s ring?” 

 

“Her wedding ring,” Owain nods. “I’ve had it since she died. She used to use it as the key to her safe in her bedroom too.” 

 

Inigo’s heart is thundering in his chest. Is this real? A safe opened by a wedding ring? A hidden treasure in a hedge maze? He holds the light steady and watches in awe when the ring fits right into place and Owain is able to turn the handle. “What in the world,” He whispers.

 

He can’t see past Owain’s shoulder. “What is it?” He asks. 

 

“It’s a hat box.”

 

Inigo peers over Owain's shoulder and sure enough, he's holding a round hat box with decorative, pink flowers on the outside of it. On top of the box there's a white label, and in Lissa's swirly script it says  _ for my beloved family _ .

 

Owain starts to open it and Inigo swats his hand. “Hey!” 

 

“No!” Inigo gasps. “This isn’t just for you. You need to show this to your mother--this is the last thing her wife left her! Brady as well! Don’t you dare open this on your own.”

 

Owain laughs for the first time in  _ days _ it feels like. “You’re right. Let’s go wake up my mother.” 

 

…

 

Maribelle’s study is lit. There’s steamy tea on the table and a sleepy queen on the sofa. Brady is sitting beside her, leaned back and looking about ready to fall asleep. Maribelle clears her throat.

 

“There had better be an incredible explanation for this, Owain. We have so much work to do in the morning; the coronation is  _ tomorrow _ .” 

 

“This is incredible indeed!” Owain says. “Mother, do you remember the study hidden in the hedge maze?” 

 

Maribelle's frown twists into confusion. "Yes, Owain, of course, I do. What about it?" 

 

“I visited it with Inigo shortly after he arrived, and Inigo happened upon a book of poetry mom wrote.” He passes her the book and she opens it to the first page without any prompting. She trails her fingertips over the writing. Brady leans close to read it too.

 

Inigo can see a smile spread over Maribelle’s lips. “Yes, this sounds just like her. Are you meaning to tell me you think this is some kind of scavenger hunt, Owain?” 

 

“It was!” Inigo blurts. Then he covers his mouth. “I’m sorry.” 

 

Owain grins and squeezes Inigo’s shoulder. “Don’t apologize. He’s right! Mother, look at the symbol on the corner of that page. I’ve marked another page with the same symbol on it.”

 

Maribelle flips the page and knits her brows together. “This is the hedge maze,” She says. “I take it you found something, then?” 

 

Owain turns. Behind him, he's positioned the box, but he sets it on the table in front of Maribelle now. She looks at the top of it and she bites her lip. "I've never seen this before." 

 

“There was a safe in the wall. Just like the one in your bedroom; her ring opened it,” Owain answers. “This was inside. Inigo wouldn’t let me look at its contents without you two present. Would you do the honors, mother?” 

 

Maribelle lifts the box lid. Inigo has to work hard not to jump forward to see what’s inside. It’s dusty, he can already tell. It smells like dust, and no doubt; Lissa passed away some time ago. Inigo can hear a tiny gasp. Maribelle reaches into the box and picks up a sealed envelope.  _ My Dearest Maribelle _ is scrawled on the front. She sets it gently in her lap and reaches into the box again. Beneath that there are two other envelopes, labeled for Brady and Owain. She passes them to the boys respectively. 

 

The rest of the contents of the box are trinkets, for the most part. Photographs that Lissa loved, gifts she never got to give her family. And a yellow, sealed envelope. This one isn’t a letter, but a document. It’s then that Inigo realizes Maribelle has tears streaking her cheeks. He hadn’t even noticed she was crying! Her tears are silent and well managed, but she pulls open the unmarked envelope first. 

 

Brady starts to sob. His tears are far less refined, but he’s reading over that letter from his mother and, hey, Inigo gets it. If his mother left him a letter to read after her death he would undoubtedly be a crying mess too. 

 

The sound of old paper crinkling when it comes out of that envelope is enough to draw Inigo back to Maribelle. Owain as well. “Mother?” He asks as she looks over it. 

 

“Oh my dear lord,” Maribelle whispers. She turns the document over to look at the back, just to check it for any writing. When she does Inigo notices there’s a red wax seal on the bottom of the document, with a tiny purple ribbon smooshed into it. There’s also a giant signature. The whole thing is written in that curly handwriting. 

 

Maribelle sets it in her lap and reaches for the corner of her robe to dab at her eyes. “Oh, Owain, it’s a decree.” 

 

“What’s a decree?” Inigo asks softly.

 

“A law that someone important makes,” Owain whispers back. “Mother, please, what does it  _ say _ .” 

 

Maribelle nods her head and swallows a tiny sob. Oh, the poor thing. She looks just like Brady now, crying hysterically over a piece of paper in her lap. “You don’t have to marry someone of noble birth,” She says. She hiccups. “Oh, sweetheart, you can marry for love. She did it.” 

 

“Does it count?” Inigo asks. He blurts it really. Maribelle nods her head slowly. 

 

"Yes," she swallows back some of her tears and clears her throat. "A royal decree that is written in the Exalt Queen's handwriting with her own seal… it's impossible to dispute." 

 

Inigo grips Owain’s arm. He curls his fingers into the sleeve of his shirt and a bright smile spread across his face. “You don’t have to marry Cynthia, then?” He asks. As opposed to an answer, Owain turns and swoops down to kiss Inigo. 

 

It honestly takes his brain three seconds just to realize he’s being kissed. Owain’s hand is on his cheek keeping him close. Inigo’s fingers curl tighter into the sleeve of his shirt, and he makes a surprised, tiny moan, “Owain,” He mumbles into that kiss, but Owain doesn’t listen. He takes the opportunity. He slips his tongue past Inigo’s lips and Inigo  _ melts _ .

 

This is the actual kind of hallmark bullshit he’s been thinking about since the day he arrived. So he supposes it’s best to roll with it. He leans closer, wraps his arms snug around Owain’s shoulders, and returns that kiss with twice as much vigor as one should normally have at three in the morning. 

 

Owain found out that he can marry anyone he wants to, and his first impulse is to kiss the ever-loving hell out of Inigo. It makes his pulse quicken. He's breathless in that kiss fast. Maribelle clears her throat and he's blushing twice as much when he remembers they have an audience. "Owain," He whispers. Their lips stick together as he starts to pull away, but Owain just chases his lips with a tiny peck, and then another, until, finally, he steps back. 

 

He slides his hands down Inigo's arms until they wrap around his hands… and then Owain drops down to his knees. Maribelle chokes she inhales so quickly, and Inigo's head snaps in her direction.  _ Are you okay? _ He tries to ask, but really he can’t talk. His throat has closed up and  _ he _ can barely breathe either. 

 

This isn’t real, is it? Maybe he’s still in bed and this is all a dream. “Owain!” Maribelle sputters out words between coughing fits. The poor woman is still trying to calm down her tears. “You may not propose to this poor man on a  _ whim _ at three in the morning! Do this properly!” 

 

“What? Ma! Don’t interrupt,” Brady argues. Inigo turns his head back to Owain in what feels like slow motion. 

 

It feels like the world has slowed down but Inigo’s thoughts haven’t. He has feelings for Owain, he cares about him a lot. Maybe even loves him. But does that justify marriage? And it would be such a whirlwind wedding--they would have to be married tomorrow or the next day, for the coronation to proceed.  And what would that make Inigo? The king’s husband. 

 

Does he really want to get married? Inigo grins down at Owain because… yeah. He totally does. This has been such an adventure. And wow, he loves Ophelia and Owain so much. He can’t wait to tell her in the morning, she’ll be so excited. Maybe his mother will be a little upset that she missed his wedding, but surely he can convince them to have a celebration she can attend later, right? He wouldn’t pass up a dance with his mother for the world.

 

_ May it be happiness you find. _

 

Yeah. Lissa left Owain the one thing that would truly make him happy, she left him his freedom. What an incredible thing to leave behind. Inigo sucks in a breath. Owain clears his throat. “Inigo, will you--” 

 

The door to Maribelle's study flies open. Frederick is standing there. He's wearing a striped pajama set and a nightcap, but he seems wide awake. "Frederick," Maribelle gasps. "Are you quite alright?" 

 

“No, I’m afraid I have urgent news.” 

 

“Can it wait like five minutes?” Owain asks. “I’m kind of busy here, Fred.” He doesn’t even get up from his knees to ask. He squeezes Inigo’s hands tighter and Inigo finds a tiny smile stuck on his lips.

 

“Surely it can. It’s three in the morning, Frederick.” 

 

“A call has come in from Miss Olivia. She said that it’s dire she speak to Inigo.” 

 

Inigo's heart sinks. "What?" He pulls his hands out of Owain's and pats down his pockets until he finds his cell phone. Sure enough, there are ten missed calls and two voicemails all from his mother. Dread settles in his gut. "Oh. No, I need to take this. I'm sorry." Owain stands up from where he was kneeling and before he completely ruins this moment Inigo kisses his cheek. After that, he backs away from Owain and runs to the door with Frederick. "Where is the phone..?" 

 

“The parlor is at the end of the hall on the left.” 

 

“Thanks.” Inigo doesn’t waste another second. He’s sorry, of course, but that proposal can wait. He skids to a stop in front of the parlor and closes the door behind him. The phone is sitting off the hook and so he picks it up and cautiously asks “Mom? Hello?” 

 

“ _ Inigo _ !” Olivia cries. Oh, she’s crying. Inigo can already tell and he hates that. “ _ Oh, Inigo, I’m sorry I’m calling so late I’m just so scared. I went to the doctor today and they found something, they think it’s come back…”  _ She hiccups into the phone.

 

Tears well up in Inigo’s eyes too. This wasn’t supposed to come back. Sure he was afraid of it, but he didn’t  _ expect _ it. “Mom, it’s alright. You’re going to be alright.” 

 

_ “I wanted to wait and tell you in a few days but I had a nightmare and I just got so scared. I wanted to hear your voice. You don’t need to do anything, it’s alright sweetie.”  _

 

“What? Absolutely not. I’m coming home right away.” He plucks his phone out of his pocket and opens up google. It only takes him a moment to get to the airline’s website. “Don’t worry, I’ll be home before you know it.” 

 

_ “Are you sure it’s alright?”  _

 

“Nothing could keep me from you,” Inigo says. “Get some rest mom. I love you. I’ll be there soon.” 

 

He books his flight right then. He doesn’t leave the parlor until it’s done. It’s for six o’clock. He’s got a couple hours to get his stuff together. Then he pushes his way out the door and bumps right into Owain. 

 

He looks nervous. It's obvious he's been eavesdropping and he opens his mouth to talk but Inigo covers his mouth with both of his hands. "I can't stay, Owain. I'm so sorry. But this doesn't mean you have to have an arranged marriage! It just means… Well, it just means you can't marry me." 

 

“Inigo,” Owain says the moment his mouth is uncovered. Inigo shakes his head left and right. 

 

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry! I've got to go." And he runs. Just like that Inigo runs down the hall back to his room. He's got to pack, he doesn't have a minute to waste. Owain calls his name after him but he doesn't chase him down and… well, he's glad. He couldn't do it. Saying no once was hard enough. Saying no again would be even worse. 

 

_ May it be happiness you find. _


	3. Light

The light demanding that passengers wear their seatbelts turns off and the flight attendant starts talking about trivia and what to expect for the next few hours. Inigo’s heart settled in his stomach hours ago, but he’s been strong. He packed his bags, he left a thank you letter for Maribelle and her family, and he left. 

 

Now that he's in the air it all feels very final. He squeezes his pant legs and his face scrunches up and tears begin to splatter over his lap. Of course, this would happen. This is real life, this isn't a movie. Inigo was never meant to be in this castle, let alone marry a prince. 

 

He didn’t even say goodbye to Ophelia. He just left her sleeping in her bed without a care in the world. She’s going to be heartbroken! He doesn't even want to think about it. He tugs his phone out of his pocket. It’s in airplane mode but he swipes through his photos and looks through them. He’s taken so many selfies with those two over the course of just a few weeks. 

 

They’re like family, but they’re gone now. He scrubs at his eyes again but he just keeps crying. Maybe he made the wrong choice. 

 

But he didn’t! His mother needs him. 

 

The flight is a blur. Between his heartbreaking and his mind racing in circles he's exhausted and drained. He catches a cab back to the studio and when he gets inside he wanders in a daze up the steps to his mother's room. 

 

He crawls into her bed with her. She startles at first but when she realizes it’s Inigo she gasps and reaches out to pull him close. She’s warm and smells like home. This is where he’s meant to be. But he cries himself to sleep against her chest and she holds him until he wakes up. 

 

The first day is hard but after that things feel relatively normal. Inigo’s mother will be alright, he hopes. Her prognosis is good. Just like last time they caught it early and they caught it small. She’ll begin treatments right away. They closed the studio for the week. Or at least, they canceled rehearsals. They’ve been planning how they’re going to make this work. They don’t want to close the studio during her treatments, but… Inigo isn’t sure he has it in him to teach classes himself. 

 

Of course, his mother suggested it, he did so well with Ophelia, but it's heartbreaking. He misses her. 

 

He's seated at the receptionist desk again. The day planner is open and he's writing in dates for his mother's appointments and scheduled classes. She's a mess without him, really. She hasn't filled it out since he's been gone. Olivia is leaning against the countertop looking at the notes he's writing and she's been staring at him with half a frown on her face all morning.

 

She knows he’s upset, is all, but there’s nothing either of them can do about it. 

 

The television in the corner is on and they’ve been watching this or that. A celebrity gossip show comes on and Inigo looks up when they mention the latest scandal with the Ylissean royal family. 

 

“Wha,” Inigo blurts. He reaches for the remote and turns up the volume. The man on the screen is just reading a blurb, but it’s the most absurd thing he’s heard all day. 

 

_ "What's the latest news with the royal family? The coronation has been postponed, a surprise to no one. Prince Owain is at it again with his flippant behavior. So why has he refused? Some people are guessing it has to do with the woman he was meant to marry. Other people think it might be the first signs that, like his uncle before him, he plans to abandon Ylisse and abdicate his rights to the throne. But what does this mean for the little Princess Ophelia?" _

 

Inigo’s hands curl into tight fists. “That’s not fair,” He whispers. Olivia tilts her head. 

 

“Inigo, dear?” 

 

_ “The queen has allegedly been quoted saying that the coronation will proceed before the year ends, as planned, but who’s to say, really? Since Queen Lissa passed away her son has been anything but reliable. We’ll see how it turns out by the end of the year, I guess.”  _

 

“That’s not fair! He never said he didn’t want to be king.” Inigo’s blood boils just thinking about it. The stupid tabloids he’s read his entire life have always made the royal family out to be so dramatic… but they’re not any more dramatic than a normal family.

 

“Sweetheart, what’s wrong? Do you know why they canceled the coronation?” 

 

“Yeah,” He says. “Owain couldn’t become king unless he was married, and the law said he had to have an arranged marriage. But his mom left this trail of clues after she died and we found a law she had written hidden in a secret safe in a wall and it said he could marry anyone he wants.” 

 

“Oh! So then he canceled it because he wants to wait and meet someone he actually likes, is that right?” Olivia sighs. “That’s not half as scandalous as they made it out to be. 

 

“He wanted to,” Inigo starts. Then he hesitates. Would it be wrong to tell his mom about his relationship with Owain? He did throw it away just for her. But he clears his throat. “He was in the middle of proposing to me when you called. I mean, he was on his knee. I think he wanted to marry  _ me _ .” 

 

“What?!” Olivia shrieks. “Inigo! You didn’t tell me you were in a relationship with the  _ prince _ ! That’s the kind of gossip I need to know about as your mother!” 

 

"Well, you didn't ask. And besides, I wasn't. Not really. There was a law, we didn't know we could act on our feelings. It's all very complicated," Inigo says. 

 

“A prince! A prince was on his knee  _ proposing _ to you and you  _ left _ ?” 

 

“Mom! You needed me!” Inigo huffs. “What was I supposed to do, leave you here to deal with this alone?” 

 

Olivia’s lips flap. “Are you trying to tell me they don’t have healthcare in Ylisse?” 

 

“Wh--Are you kidding? Of course they do, but what about your studio? I didn’t know what was going on, you called me at three AM crying.” 

 

“Oh, Inigo, you shouldn’t have turned him down. Is this what’s got you all mopey? You love him, don’t you?” 

 

Inigo puts his face in his hands. Yes, he loves him. Since he left he’s been heartbroken. He’s thought about texting him, but he’s afraid to. How can he do that after he walked out? If Owain wanted to talk to him wouldn’t he text him first? He’s probably upset. Maybe he’s angry that he walked out on Ophelia too?

 

“It’s too late now, Mom. It’s over. I’m just--This stupid article is painting it like Owain is some irresponsible jerk and he’s not. He’s so good, and he’s so kind. He doesn’t deserve this.” He pushes himself out of the chair and walks away from the desk. Olivia stays put but he can feel her watching him. 

 

He’s not going far. He just… needs a distraction. So he turns on his mom’s CD player and he  _ dances _ because he can’t think of anything else to quell his sudden rage. How could they do that to him? He’s sure that no matter how Maribelle presented the situation, it would have gone like this. 

 

Owain isn’t slacking off. He’s taking some time to find love, marry who he wants. Inigo is… glad. He deserves that. His mother went through a lot of trouble writing that law for him, and he should embrace it. 

 

Dancing like this reminds him of Ophelia too. She liked to watch him dance because she loved his mother's routines. It reminds him of how excited she was to learn, and how close she was to success. Did she keep practicing after he left? 

 

He has no idea, but he certainly hopes she doesn’t give up on dance. She was doing so well, she has natural talent. The song changes. Inigo’s heart picks up speed. It’s just karma really that the song that plays next is the song they danced to together. He can practically feel Owain’s hand on his hip, drawing their bodies closer. He can vividly remember the look on his face when he leaned in to kiss him. But he didn’t. But then he thinks about the time they  _ did _ kiss. Not that he condones his own mind’s way of making it into a fairytale, but it was like fireworks. The way Owain kissed him was like they were soulmates, like the barriers keeping them apart had fallen away. 

 

What would it be like to have married him? 

 

The bell above the door tinkles, but Inigo can’t see anyone past the reception desk. It doesn’t matter. “Oh, I’m sorry sweetheart,” Olivia says. “Lessons are canceled today.” 

 

“Oh my goodness! You’re even more beautiful in person! You’re amazing!” 

 

Inigo’s heart stops when he hears that little voice. He practically sprints to stand by his mother’s side. It’s not really Ophelia, is it? 

 

But it is. She’s standing there in a pretty sundress and her floppy hat. “Inigo!” She giggles just like she always does and she runs towards him. She throws her arms around him and hugs him tight around his waist. “You’re here!” 

 

“Ophelia,” He’s breathless. He runs his hand along the back of her hair. She’s real. Right here in his mom’s dance studio. “What are you doing here?” She couldn’t possibly have come alone. Inigo’s heart is thundering up into his  _ throat _ . He chances a glance up through the tall windows. Outside he hopes to see Owain but… He sees Frederick instead. Loyal as ever, dutifully watching over Ophelia. He heads towards the door when Inigo sees him. 

 

Inigo tries not to be too disappointed. “Did you miss me?” Ophelia asks. 

 

“Oh, more than anyone else,” Inigo says. He crouches in front of her so he can hug her tighter. Just so he can nuzzle his nose into her pretty blonde hair and breathe her in. She’s real! He can hardly believe it. Even if she didn’t bring Owain with her, just seeing her again makes him feel happy and warm. “Are you mad at me, love?” 

 

“No, but I miss you. Father told me what happened. He said that your mother was sick! It’s alright. I understand why you left.” 

 

Such a grown-up little lady. Inigo sighs softly. "Yes, she's very sick. I had to come home. I'm so sorry I didn't get to say goodbye to you, Ophelia. You know I love you very much darling, don't you?"

 

“Do you really?” Ophelia asks. Inigo’s heart breaks a little. He takes her little hands in his and brings them to his lips so he can kiss them. 

 

“I love you very much. I never meant to hurt your feelings.” The door jingles and Inigo is startled. He looks up just as he thinks he might start crying again and blinks back those tears when Frederick walks in the door.

 

Olivia has her arms drawn in close. She looks unsure what’s going on, but she’s trying to keep up. “O-oh,” She says softly, “Who is this..?” 

 

Inigo swallows a knot in his throat. “That’s Fred. He’s Ophelia’s nanny,” He says. 

 

Frederick reaches for Olivia's hand and politely brings it to his lips to kiss. That's absolutely standard behavior for Frederick, but Inigo isn't surprised to see his mom turn the color of a tomato. "You must be Miss Olivia. The pleasure is mine, milady." 

 

Inigo smiles. His breath catches in a tiny laugh because his mother practically  _ swoons _ . It's cute. Then Ophelia pulls on Inigo's hands. "Come with me," she says. 

 

Who is he to tell a princess no? She pulls him towards the door and Frederick watches them diligently, with his hands tucked behind his back. She leads him in front of the store and they turn to the right, and there  _ exactly _ enough distance to be out of sight of the windows Owain is leaning against the building. 

 

All of Inigo’s breath leaves him at once. “Owain!” He actually sounds more afraid than he is. He’s glad he’s here. If he’s here that means he wanted to see Inigo. Doesn’t it? He’s got a poorly hidden bouquet of flowers behind his back. He starts to walk closer and Inigo meets him halfway. Ophelia stays put quietly by the door to the studio. 

 

When they’re close Owain presents the flowers to him. They’re not terribly expensive looking, thank goodness, because despite loving flowers Inigo is awful at caring for them. “Indigo skies,” Owain says. “That’s what your title needed. Inigo of the Indigo Skies. I thought of it on the flight over.” 

 

“Ooookay,” Inigo’s lips break into a smile. “I think I can deal with that. Owain, I’m sorry I left.” 

 

“It’s alright. I’m sorry I sprung a proposal on you at three in the morning. It’s not an accurate representation of how I feel about you, after all.” 

 

Inigo shakes his head. “No, I thought it was a very good representation of how we felt. I would have accepted, you know. It’s just that my mother is sick. I feel just awful about it--you had to postpone your coronation! I saw the news today, they made you sound terrible. It’s not even your fault, it’s mine.” 

 

“It’s not your fault, Inigo. I could have married anyone!” Owain’s smile is radiant. That’s right. He can marry anyone in the world now, no questions asked or rules to deny him that right. “But, if it’s all the same, I would really prefer to marry you.” 

 

Inigo squawks. "What? Are you asking me again? Really?" 

 

"Yes, but wait! Before you answer I want to do it right, this time." Owain gets down on his knee. Just one this time. Pinched between two of his fingers is a ring. It's sparkling with what Inigo imagines are probably diamonds embedded in the side, but near the front, the gems begin to darken in color until they reach the center. The center gem is that perfect shade of indigo. This ring was  _ made for him _ . 

 

“Owain…” Inigo halfway whines his name. “You’re a prince, you don’t have to get on your knee…” 

 

“Can you just let me give this speech? I thought about it all the way over here!” 

 

“Alright! Alright. Go ahead.” Inigo’s lips turn into a smile. He holds the flowers down, hanging from his side with one hand… and the other he playfully taps against his lips like he’s about to make a difficult decision. 

 

“The day we met was fated. You were never meant to come into our home, but by chance you--What? Why are you looking at me like that?” 

 

"I'm trying to look like I'm judging your speech, dear. Go ahead," Inigo smirks. Owain's entire face is darker and darker red, but he doesn't mean to mess this up. He glances inside and he can see his mom covering her mouth. Fred is watching them, waiting. 

 

“Well you’ve ruined it, now,” Owain scoffs. “You stole my thunder!” 

 

“No, no, I’m sorry,” Inigo grins. But his grin melts into a gasp when the ring pinched in his fingers goes whizzing past Inigo. Genuine panic washes over him and he spins on his heel to see where it landed. 

 

Ophelia has caught it in her hands. Oh, and gods, she’s on her knees, sitting on the ground. She holds the ring out for Inigo to take in her open palm, and she has such a bright smile on her face. 

 

“Oh absolutely not,” Inigo whispers under his breath. He looks over his shoulder at Owain and he’s standing behind him now. Ophelia is just too precious. She doesn’t need to be on the ground. Before she can even talk he bends down and scoops her up to sit on his hip. 

 

“Woah,” she says in a fit of giggles. “Inigo! Father instructed me to ask you a very important question. May I?” 

 

“Yes, Ophelia, you can ask me anything you want,” Inigo says. 

 

Ophelia smiles bright and swings her arms around his shoulders. “Will you marry us? He said if you say yes I’ll be allowed to call you father, too. Would you like that?” 

 

“Yes,” Inigo leans closer and scatters kisses on her cheeks. “Oh, yes, I would love that. I want to be part of your family, Ophelia.” 

 

“She’s a package deal, of course,” Owain says. He gently plucks the ring from Ophelia’s hand and takes Inigo’s so he can slide it into place on his finger. And, since Inigo is living in a Hallmark movie, it fits just right. “So will you marry me, Inigo?”

 

He laughs but he’s got to admit he’s crying a little. He turns his head to kiss Owain. Soft and sweet, and he nods his head as he pulls away. “Yes,” He says. “I’ll marry you.” 

 

Ophelia claps her hands happily. Owain wraps his arms around Ophelia and Inigo both and his hug is just so happy and warm. Inigo can’t be certain what’s going to happen next, of course. He and his mother will have to move to Ylisse, the studio will likely close its doors. She’ll need to continue her visits to the doctor but maybe when she recovers she can personally teach her new granddaughter some of the routines she loves so much? 

 

Inigo knows the first thing he needs to do when he gets back to Ferox is visit that monument to Lissa in the garden. It’s thanks to her that all this could happen, after all. She’s given him back this light in his life, and he has to promise her to make Owain just as happy as she wanted him to be. 

 

And, like all good, sappy movies, he knows this is just the beginning.


End file.
